What would our older selves say to our younger selves?

I was invited to participate in a forum session discussing what advice you would give to your younger self, as part of Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) in the UK. The topic of the session was: ‘What would you say to someone just starting out in the profession? Would you recommend becoming a veterinary nurse? What pitfalls would you want to avoid? What were the best bits?’

As someone with almost 30 years of experience in the industry, would I do the same thing again? There are some aspects that I would say yes, I don't think there are any aspects where I would say no, but there are bits of sage advice that I would like to have received. The main thing for me was the support system that is in place for SVNs. I did my first couple of years in training with no qualified nurses in the practice and the course being taught via distance learning (no Zoom or Teams in those days). Course notes were posted to you and you worked your way through them. I failed my practical exams a few times, passing on my final attempt. I had no one to show me how to perform the practical elements and this was really evident in the examinations. Moving to a practice with qualified nurses, with a support structure, made such a difference. You cannot underestimate the importance of having that support structure in place within the work environment.